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Message: 3 / 13
From: June Crawford <merlejc@sasktel.net>
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:>, <>
Subject: Fw: The History of The 12 Days of Christmas
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2005 09:45:35 -0600

Subject: Fw: The History of The 12 Days of Christmas

>
>
>
>
>
>
> >
> > There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the
world
> do
> > leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the
partridge
> who
> > won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
> >
> > From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to

> > practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol
as
a
> > catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the
> surface
> > meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their
> > church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious
reality
> > which the children could remember.
> >
> >
> >
> > The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
> >
> >
> >
> > Two turtle doves were the Old and NewTestaments.
> >
> >
> >
> > Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
> >
> >
> >
> > The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke &
> John.
> >
> >
> >
> > The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books
of
> the
> > Old Testament.
> >
> >
> >
> > The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
> >
> >
> >
> > Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy
> > Spirit-Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution,
Leadership,
> and
> > Mercy.
> >
> >
> >
> > The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
> >
> >
> >
> > Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit - Love,
Joy,
> > Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and
Self
> > Control.
> >
> >
> >
> > The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
> >
> >
> >
> > The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
> >
> >
> >
> > The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in

the
> > Apostles' Creed.
> >
> > So that's your history for today. May God grant you peace and
happiness
> > throughout this Christmas Season.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ----
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12/2/2005
> >
> > __________________________________________________________________
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> >
>
>

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